My students are required to work in the filed within small groups on a professional level after graduation. Being able to work successfully in a group in class not only helps them build those skills but also helps them feel connected to the outcome the group reaches in class.
Working in groups gives students the opportunity to interact with their classmates especially the shy ones and also students who were out of a classroom environment for many years
Students take ownership of the material that is being presented. Learning is increased as the students interact with others in the class.
Students can share their knowledge and experience working together. Knowing each other better will create better class environment.
Putting students in groups will give the student accountability and help them accomplish their tasks. The students do not want to disappoint each other and it will also help the student with various ideas and concepts by working in groups.
One positive outcome is learning to work and cooperate with each other. Students can share ideas and be a support system for each other. this will create a better classroom environment overall.
I agree Adrienne, it comes with the territory. This is real life. In the workplace there will be people who are paid the same as they are and do less work, but in the end it really does come down to personal reward. If a student spends too much time on the whole "it's not fair" thing, it might be suggested to them to look at the solution, and their own personal benefits. Encourage them to become the encourager to the slacking student in the group becasue this will set them apart as a leader.
I strongly believe in learning groups and have only positive outcomes. 1) engages students in an active learning process 2) sharing both knowledge and questions is key on a peer to peer level helping them form real life communication skills. 3) fosters life long learning 4) helps student to collaborate and not feel alone in the challenges. 5) allows the instructor/facilitator to assist in the learning process while students benefit from each others strengths and build up each others weaknesses. I could go on and on. ~smile
Joseph,
yes I tend to hear the same arguments/complaints. I completely agree with you that it is really a necessity in most careers today & so our students really need to develop these skills.
Dr. Ryan Meers
The courses I teach are culinary so putting my students in groups allows them to work in a team oriented situation much like what the will come across in a real world setting in our field. Different group dynamics are what they will come across and problem solving in a classroom setting is huge for their preperation in our career.
I think that most students are hesitant to be put into learning groups feeling that their opinion might not be heard or other group members not contributing to the group. Although this might be the case with some more often you can get different perspectives and point of views that you might not think of on your own, learnig from your peers is not only a good learing tool, it is a necessity for management and business to be able to work with one another in any industry.
Every students get to have an input about the topic/subject. They way students interact with one another can help them understand the topic better than an instructor explaining it.
Increased comfort of students in the class.
Greater participation and input by each.
Development of leadership qualities in self-selecting responsibilities.
Leon Guendoo
I often find that students can learn a great deal from each other when they are given the opportunity to view topics from different perspectives.
The complaint that I hear most often about group work is that students feel there is always at least one person who doesn't do the work or someone who just takes over. This will also likely happen in their personal and professional lives whenever they are functioning with a group of people. Students need to learn that this just comes with the territory and find ways to negotiate through these obstacles. I find that students who are successful in group work find the experience rewarding. It provides yet another way to reach an understanding of the material beyond what can be provided through a text or instructor.
Sandy ,
I agree. So much of work today occurs in groups or teams & these activities can help prepare them for this.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I like to believe that my class is a team, and when you put them together in learning groups it really helps them develop and refine thier interpersonal skills and will inevitably help them in thier chosen career paths.
bridgette,
I agree that there are many positive outcomes to group work.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I've found that using learning groups allows students to learn from each other. For example if a student does not understand, or has never experienced something, they can learn from the experiences of their peers.
each student evaluates themselves on what they do and do not know
